The Mischief Makers Era
by mischiefmakersera
Summary: Where we were young, wild, and free. This story is a tale of the mischief makers during their time of mischief making, where drama never ends and a bottle of whiskey is always free. The war goes on but their lives live on and in the end, they're all just teenagers in love.
1. I'm going to murder you, MacDonald!

**The Mischief Makers Era | A collaborative fic**

**Disclaimer: We own nothing of JK Rowling's wonderful characters. This story is based on the roleplaying group .com and we hope you enjoy it!**

**September 1st, 1976**

The Hogwarts Express roared into life at Platform 9 3/4. Students and parents alike are hustling and bustling, others saying their sweet goodbyes while others chat and carry on long exchanges about their summer vacation.

Lily Evans, a girl with dark red hair and magnificent green eyes is one of the few who are saying goodbye to their parents.

"Write to us." Rose Evans whispered breathlessly, engulfing her daughter in a tight embrace while Richard Evans chuckled boisterously as he told his wife to take it easy on their youngest daughter.

"I will mum." their youngest daughter promised and pulled away. Her eyes wandered over to her side and she gave a small frown.

"Petunia's just busy." Rose noticed the frown. "She had to go and work on something with that Dursley boy."

_Of course._ Lily thought. Of course she would be with her boyfriend. Not that it mattered anymore did it? During that brief summer, her older sister was far too busy keeping herself occupied with the telephone that she had no time with anything else. Rose and Richard chalked this up to one of the many things they let Petunia indulge herself into, although an occasional scolding and reprimanding never stopped the mousy haired girl in contacting with her second "steady" boyfriend.

"ALL ABOARD!" the loud call of the conductor shouted over the crowd and Lily jumped ever so slightly.

"I have to go." she hugged her parents one last time and said her their last farewells. "I'll be back in Christmas."

"Write to us."

"I will"

"Lily?"

"Yes?

"Good luck!"

Lily blinked as she carried her trunk inside the train. "Good luck?" she whispered to herself, wondering why her parents chose to say that. Was she just overthinking things? Perhaps. Neither Rose nor Richard were particularly superstitious and neither was Lily. Luck was not something she really believed in.

She struggled a bit as she carried her luggage inside the narrow cart of the train, not realizing she bumped into someone.

"Oi!" the figure shouted.

"Sorry-" Lily apologized and looked up. She paused in the middle of her apology and was now facing two hazel colored eyes behind a pair of spectacles.

"Evans." he said coolly.

"Potter." she replied with the same tone of voice.

"Watch where you're going."

"I'm sorry I was thinking," her voice wasn't sorry at all.

"Stop overthinking, you do that too much."

"It's none of your business, Potter."

"Whatever."

A few words exchanged and they parted, the boy slipping into his own compartment while Lily slipped into hers.

How she loathed him.

* * *

Lily spent the last few seconds fuming before she entered into her compartment. Her dark green eyes narrowed in anger and she wondered over and over again why James Potter could push her buttons like no other.

"Lily?" another voice interrupted her thoughts and she frowned, not realizing she opened the last compartment she would be in.

Severus Snape was seated near the window, coupled with Mulciber, Avery, and Crouch Jr.

"Wrong compartment, mudblood." Avery sneered.

Even Lily would rather share a compartment with James Potter than with them.

"She has a name, Avery." Severus said coldly.

"It was an honest mistake." Lily shot back to Avery, ignoring Severus' feeble attempt to defend her. As far as she was concerned, he was just like them. He had a new set of "friends" now.

"I'm sorry." Mulciber, a broody slytherin interrupted this exchange of glares between Evans and Avery. "But did Severus just actually acknowledge her presence in front of us?" he spoke in a voice that was neither louder nor softer than a whisper, but its effect was nonetheless haunting. Avery and Lily turned their attention to Mulciber, who was staring at Severus Snape intensely. Crouch, on the other hand, looked distracted and did nothing more than stare out the window.

"Did you just told Avery that this-" he paused and slowly turned to Lily, eyeing her with distaste, his lips contorted into one that could easily be read as disgust, "person has a name?"

Severus made no reply.

"That's right!" Avery reacted, slower than the rest of them said as if he just realized what's been going on. "You said she has a name! Come on Snapey tell us." he sneered. "Still friends with the mudblood here?!" he demanded.

Severus clenched his fists and looked right through them, trying to remain as expressionless as Crouch.

"We're not friends." Lily interrupted the tense silence.

"We were asking Snape, mudblood." Avery shot back.

"Be quiet Avery." Snape responded harshly.

"Defending her again?" Avery teased, baring his teeth. "Well now, I don't think loyalty to one's house is your priority now is it Snape?"

"He wasn't defending me!" Lily interrupted again.

"I SAID QUIET MUDBLOOD!" Avery raised his voice.

"AVERY. SHUT UP."

"QUIT DEFENDING HER SNAPE!" Avery shouted at Snape, spit flying unto the boy's pallid face. "YOU QUIT DEFENDING THIS MUDBLOOD. I THOUGHT YOU SAID SHE WAS TRASH LIKE THE REST OF THEM?!"

"How about-" Crouch interrupted and all four of them stared at the boy whose attention finally turned away from the window. Barty Crouch was a boy with high cheekbones, pale complexion and fair hair that was messy and unkept, but the way he spoke was calm and soothing, not at all like one would expect. "We let Snape deal with it?" he raised an eyebrow. He crossed his arms over to his chest and turned to Snape. "Show her how we treat mudbloods, Snape." and then he turned back to the window.

The air was silent. Everyone turned back to Snape who was paling slightly at this suggestion. He knew what Barty Crouch Jr meant. Crouch meant that by "dealing" with mudbloods, he meant by physical force.

Slowly, he pulled out his wand from the pockets of his second hand robes and stood up. He turned over to Lily and pointed the wand at her.

"Do it." Avery ordered.

"Hex her."

"Stun her."

"Blast her off the train Snape."

"Go on Severus…" Lily lifted her chin and stared at him defiantly.

Whether Snape was about to stun her or not, it didn't matter. In a split second, someone slammed the compartment door shut, the force of the impact injured Snape's outreached hand and his wand dropped, all the while knocking out Avery and Mulciber's heads. The person slammed the sliding compartment door in again, picking up Snape's wand and muttering a lock spell to keep them in.

"Merlin Evans, are you stupid or something?!" James Potter rolled his eyes.

Lily didn't answer. Her lips parted in complete shock.

* * *

James narrowed his eyes.

"For the brightest witch in our class, you sure are stupid." he said bluntly with neither a smirk nor a sneer.

"I think I could handle it." Lily said coolly.

"Come of it." James rolled his eyes. "I saved you from having the deal with Snape's stupid crisis and in fact, I bet he secretly thanks whoever knocked them out because he wouldn't have to prove anything to them."

Lily paused, feeling herself getting riled up. He saved her?! SAVED HER?! How dare he…that no good…arrogant…toerag!

"YOU'RE DELUSIONAL POTTER!"

"I think you owe me a thanks Evans."

"For knocking their heads and injuring Severus?!" she raised her voice. "THAT EARNS YOU ANOTHER DETENTION AND YOU KNOW IT!"

James waved it off like it was nothing. It was the little gestures like this that angered her. He treated her anger like it was going to go away. He always had to be right. He always had to say something, and he truly believes the world owes him a favor for existing.

She didn't need to say anything to him. She could simply walk away. It wasn't like she needed to explain things to him, or correct his delusional mind. Let him think what he wanted to think…right?

But whether she admitted it or not, she technically owed him a favor.

But she wasn't going to say it to his face.

She'll take that fact and bury it to her grave.

"Bugger off Potter." she whispered coldly and turned around and walked off with her trunk.

She loathed him. She will loathe him until her dying day.

* * *

_That bloody Evans_. She was always getting on his nerves. He practically saved her and this was how she thanked him?

She annoyed him. How smart and kind she was, how bright and fiery her hair was, just like how she always acted towards him, and her eyes, those bright beautiful green eyes.

Oh yes, Lily Evans was always getting on his nerves. Not that it bothered him, only when she screams at him. For a moment, his thoughts were on Lily when he heard two familiar voices coming from the back.

"MOVE ASIDE!"

James turned and saw his best mate, Sirius Black and Mary MacDonald both on some large black plank thing with wheels on them. He frowned and quickly moved aside. "What in Merlin's name…"

"Hey James!" Mary greeted him as Sirius hopped off the black plank.

"It's a boardskate James? Isn't it cool?" Sirius grinned as Mary skated near them.

"Skateboard, Sirus." she said and frowned as she saw Lily storm off to one of the compartments and slammed the door shut. "Did you make Lily angry again?" she asked and sigh, wondering when her two best mates would ever get on good terms.

"It's not me. I was just saving her from Snape. Don't know why she got so angry." he muttered. He was about to tell them the whole story when the door of the compartment where Snape and his friends were in shook and then opened.

All three of them turned and stared as Snape struggled to open the door. The greasy haired Slytherin glared at James and Sirius.

"Black. Potter."

"Snape." Sirius said, trying not to snigger at him.

While the three had their staring contest, Mary rolled her eyes and her eyes glanced at one of the boys in the compartment who was staring calmly at the window. It took her a while to realise she was staring at Barty Couch Jr when she heard a smirk.

"Like what you see MacDonald? Nice to be back isn't it?" the Slytherin near him said to her.

_Mulciber._ Mary scowled at him. She never liked him. Actually she hated him to be more exact. "Bugger off." she muttered at him as she carried her skateboard in an arm and pushed Sirius and James to move.

"Come on guys. Peter and Remus are waiting." she said, not wanting the creep to spoil her day.

Mulciber watched MacDonald push Potter and Black back to their own compartment. Personally, Mulciber wasn't one who would start a fight in public. It was too tedious in his opinion. He preferred the darkness, the silence of the dungeons as he painfully torture his favorite victim into oblivion.

"If you stare long enough, it could cause a certain problem." a calm voice that interrupted his thoughts edged him to refocus his attention. Barty Crouch kept calm and wasn't making eye contact, picking his shoelaces as he talked.

"And what problem would that be?" Mulciber asked with slight curiosity.

"In my opinion, it just looks like you were lusting after her." he looked up and shrugged.

Mulciber threw his head back and laughed. Avery, who was busy looking in an erotic magazine looked up and watched the brief exchange between the two and decidedly went back to watching famous witches in their bathing robes.

"Why would I lust after a mudblood?"

"A lot of people say she's pretty." Crouch replied with eerie calmness.

"You're mental, Crouch."

"Perhaps." he said and went back to staring at the window.

Mulciber opened his mouth, he debated whether or not he was going to rile Crouch up but he decided not to. The boy was a strange one. He was quiet, calm and seemingly on the edge about everything. Best not to care when he had his own torture plans in mind.

* * *

He couldn't wait until the new school year starts.

Lily Evans was grateful that she finally found a compartment where she could be alone. Her earlier irritation towards Potter left her in a slight temperamental mood but all that vanished as soon as her boyfriend slid inside the compartment with her.

"Amos!" she stood up from her seat and embraced her boyfriend. Her boyfriend for 2 months that started roughly in the beginning of summer was here at last.

Amos Diggory was handsome like no other. He had grey eyes and dirty blonde hair with high cheekbones, but it wasn't his looks that got Lily to go out with him. In was in fact, his sincere genuine humility and sweet gestures that sealed it. She was a romantic, and despite her expectations of starting the new year with seeing her boyfriend first hand, she was not going to let it ruin her fantasy.

"Hi…" Amos whispered and kissed her on the cheek. He let go of her embrace to help put her trunk away.

Lily smiled. That was one of the many things she liked about Amos. He was a gentleman. A gentleman who made her laugh, made her smile and did plenty of things that were classified as romantic whenever they were alone together. He liked her and she liked him, and while she was not completely swept off her feet, she could deal with the lack of originality on his part.

For instance, their first date was in Madam Puddifoot's tea shop. While Lily would rather go someplace else, she appreciated the gesture and it turned out it was a very romantic place to be in. Romantic but predictable.

She wasn't sure she liked predictable.

But despite all that, she was happy to see him. He sat down and they talked, exchanging stories about their summers and how much they missed each other. Lily tried not to laugh at that part, it was only a few weeks they were apart and it wasn't like they hadn't corresponded during that time. They talked about his job, him becoming head boy and Lily with her thoughts on prefect duties.

They talked for hours, kissed for hours and as the sky darkened through the window. Lily closed her eyes and rested her head on her boyfriend's shoulder, wondering if this year was going to work out well.

As soon as the train stopped, a flood of students went out of their compartments. Students old and new changed into their robes and carried their trunks. Hagrid, the gamekeeper ushered the first year students to the boats, while the sixth years walked off to find their carriages. Amos, being headboy and a Hufflepuff had to go ahead to the school to sort out some trivial duties and bid Lily goodnight with a kiss on the cheek.

"What's up sluts?" Marlene McKinnon, a girl with striking blue eyes and dark hair climbed into the carriage already occupied with Lily and Mary. "I see I'm interrupting the two lovebirds." she wiggled her eyebrows with a grin. "But I'm sorry to say that I am here to take a seat.

"MARLENE!" Lily grinned and hugged her best friend, Mary smiled and hugged her as soon as Lily let go. "I MISSED YOU GIRLS."

"Same here." Hestia Jones, a blonde girl entered into the carriage as well and greeted them with a dazzling smile. The four girls exchanged stories about their summers, along with what's been going on and even sharing their O.W.L results.

"I swear, I can't believe I failed History of Magic!" Marlene whined.

"That's a shocker." Hestia replied, "You slept throughout the majority of the class last year, Binns was bound to fail you."

"Like he would look up his notes. Does he even realize that he's a teacher?!" Marlene rolled her eyes.

It went on like this for throughout the carriage ride. Mary told them about her new skateboard, Marlene of course, the only pureblood in the carriage watched the plank with fascination. Hestia teased Lily about Amos with consistent badgering from Mary and Marlene alike.

"I am not sharing bits and pieces about his secrets!" Lily flushed ever so slightly as soon as Marlene asked if Amos was a virgin or not. Mary and Hestia howled in laughter and the four friends went inside the castle with the rest of the students. The first years have yet to arrive from the other side of the door and they were hungry.

The sorting ceremony went on like it usually did, after "Zabini, Alana" was sorted into Slytherin. Professor Dumbledore stood up and raised both arms.

"One last announcement I believe." his eyes twinkled amusingly at the resounding groan from all four tables. "I believe that the forbidden forest in called forbidden for a reason, and I would like to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," he gestured a man who looked to be in his early 30's. "Everyone, please welcome Professor Elias Hawkstern." he smiled and clapped, the rest of the students and faculty clapped as the new teacher stood up and bowed.

"He's cute." one girl whispered to her friend in Ravenclaw.

"His eyes…they're so blue…" Rahsmi Patil gushed to Mafalda Hopkirk.

"I think I'm gonna like Defense this year." another girl winked at her friend.

**"I'M GONNA MURDER YOU MACDONALD!**" a voice rang out throughout the Great Hall.

* * *

"Oh bugger." Marlene rolled her eyes as she heard the girls gush about the new professor. Marlene glanced to take a good look at the new professor that Dumbledore introduced herself, and for once in her life, she held back a breath. Alright, now she knew why they were gushing over him.

Marlene hated to admit it, but the new professor was dashing. "Elias Hawkstern." she muttered under her breath.

She heard a smirk next to her and she turned and rolled her eyes at Mary. "What?" she asked her best friend and raised an eyebrow. Before Mary could say anything, a familiar annoying voice rang out throughout the Great Hall.

"**I'M GONNA MURDER YOU MACDONALD!" **

"Oh, great." Mary muttered and turned to face a red-faced Dorkis Purkiss marching over to her, and every pair of eye in the room turned to face them. Mary rolled her eyes. Dorkis Purkiss had been an annoyance as far as Mary could remember. Though they were in the same house, (Mary had no idea how she could be sorted into Gryffindor), they could not stand each other and would always end up at loggerheads. She didn't remember how their feud began or why, but she was pretty sure Dorkis was jealous of her for whatever reason.

Mary cooly and calmly stood up and folded her arms. "What do you want, Purkiss?" At the corner of her eyes, she saw a professor standing, but was stopped by Dumbledore.

"You bloody witch, admit it! You did it!" Dorkis shouted.

"Did what?" Mary frowned, tired of Dorkis and her attitude.

"Did this!" Dorkis said and threw a poster of which Dorkis' lips were made bigger than usual with the captions "Do you want to kiss me?" printed below. Mary could not help but laugh loudly. A Gryffindor snatched the poster from her and almost everyone burst out laughing.

"You really think I would have done this childish act?" Mary sniggered.

"Yes, of course you would. You're jealous of me." Dorkis said arrogantly and flipped her hair over her shoulders. "You're just jealous I have Stubby now."

Mary howled in laughter and the whole hall turned to look at her. "Jealous of you and Stubby?" she said in disbelief. "Why would I be jealous of you? You're nothing but cheap. I can't believe you cheated on my brother for that." she said and pointed to Stubby who looked shocked. "No offence." she said to him and turned back to face Dorkis when she felt a slap on her face.

Dorkis Purkiss did not slap Mary MacDonald. She should have known better than to slap her.

The next thing Dorkis knew, she was on the ground and Mary's fist was approaching her face. She should have known better than to slap Mary. She had forgotten Mary was in the Quidditch team, and well she worked out a lot. But she wasn't going to let her win.

The whole hall started crowding around them. "FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"

She struggled to push Mary when a hand came and pulled them apart.

"LADIES! STOP IT THIS INSTANT." A voice bellowed in their ear and the two girls looked up.

"Detention." Professor Hawkstern said as she struggled to prevent Mary from getting her hands on Dorkis. "That's an extra week for you Miss MacDonald. The rest of you! Back to your tables!"

Mary frowned and folded her arms. The school term was not starting as she had planned.


	2. September 2 1976

Chapter 2:

**Mischief Makers Era | Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: We wouldn't be writing fanfiction if we owned these characters.**

* * *

**September 2, 1976**

The next day students were buzzing about the latest news that happened in the Great Hall last night. It wasn't everyday that a fist fight would happen in the middle of the ceremony, and while others would like to see the fight turn into a brawl of epic proportions, some would prefer to swoon about the heroic job done by the newest Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, particularly the female demographic.

While it was certainly no good deed and it was merely an act of common sense, that didn't stop the girls from chatting to their friends, gossiping about the "hunky" new teacher, Elias Hawkstern.

"Have you seen his eyes?" Doris Purkiss, the instigator of the fight last night swooned to her acne-ridden friend, Juliet Hawkes.

"They're the deepest shade of blue I have ever seen." She sighed in agreement.

"What I would give to go to that class!"

"You'd be surprised. Considering it's a required subject, I suspect you'll see him. Unless you failed your OWL's" Charlotte Pickes deadpanned to her overly gushing friend.

Lily Evans, unlike the rest was not talking about the dreamy teacher who captured the majority of the female population. While Marlene McKinnon often wondered loudly if he was going to be a major pain in the ass, Lily had other pressing subjects in mind.

"Here" she handed a wrapped ice pack to her friend Mary, "Just to ease the pain a bit."

"You're a saint Lily." Mary said gratefully and took the ice pack from her friend.

"What does Doris Purkiss have against you anyway?" Marlene asked, dropping the Hawkstern subject.

"I really rather not talk about it." Mary whispered, the brunette tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and pressed the cold ice pack against her cheek. She winced at the slight sting and turned to both girls, "At least, not right now."

"Well I think she was a bit of a git" Dorcas Meadowes, a thin, blonde Ravenclaw with a small mole on her cheek interrupted the girls. "I like to think she wouldn't have to embarrass our house by doing that. Normally it's the Gryffindors who start the fight."

"No offense." She added finally, her green eyes travelled over to the house badges sewn on each girl's robes. Mary, Marlene and even Lily rolled their eyes at her blunt remark but paid no heed.

"I like to think not every Gryffindor is a loud mouthed trouble maker, Dorcas." Lily said. Marlene merely crossed her arms over her chest and eyed the Ravenclaw girl with distaste. "Not everyone in our house is looking for trouble."

"Usually trouble finds us." Mary interrupted with a grin.

"Well I like to think Ravenclaws aren't as aggressive as the lions." Dorcas said snootily. Although she would never admit it, Dorcas was always compelled to one-up Lily on everything. Whether it was who gets the better grade in a test, or who answers the teacher's question better; Dorcas Meadowes has a competitive streak in her, and if she's willing to become head girl next year, she would have to beat Lily Evans in every aspect.

"Birds are often squaky anyway." Marlene rolled her eyes.

Mary laughed.

"Hmph!" Dorcas huffed and walked away. Marlene stuck her tongue out at her while her back was turned.

"I never really liked her." Marlene whispered to Mary and Lily.

"You never really liked anyone." Lily deadpanned.

"True." Marlene laughed and the three girls grabbed their things and decided to get a spot of breakfast before they head out to class.

* * *

"Guess who got named Captain this year?" James Potter, a boy with remarkably messy hair wearing horn-rimmed glasses asked another boy who was presumably his friend. Tall, well-built with a mischievous grin almost always plastered on his face, James Potter was every bit as handsome as he was confident.

But some say that his confidence can be translated into arrogance. A fact he didn't bother to deny.

"Let me guess." The other boy replied, his lips curled into a slight smile as he wore a leather jacket over his torn up shirt. "Severus Snape?" he raised an eyebrow then bursted into laughter.

James laughed. "Git" he grumbled. "No dummy, it's the arse who's wearing the badge right now." He said proudly, puffing out his chest. Right there, pinned on his chest was a golden batch with the word "Quidditch captain" emblazoned on it.

The other boy let out a low whistle, "Can't say you don't deserve that one." While he didn't have messy hair like James, the other boy was also handsome in his own way. A boy with grey eyes and long hair that fell over his face, accentuating his high cheekbones, the other boy was every bit as handsome (perhaps even more) than James.

"I still can't believe I'm captain this year." James sighed, ruffling up his already messy hair.

"You mean, when you got the badge during summer, that wasn't the amazing part?" Sirius Black gasped. "Ever since you let me stay in your place during the summer, I can vaguely remember a glasses-wearing git anticipating for his pet owl to come back with good news and it wasn't the O.W.L results." he laughed as he munched on some toast.

James grinned, remembering the summer they spent together. While there was a certain tale behind the reason as to why his best friend was now homeless, he would rather not think about that if he could help it. Having Sirius live with him after he ran away from Grimmauld place was like having a new brother he can talk to during the summer. It was one of those things that made James happy, that, and becoming Quidditch captain.

"How did you do on your O.W.L's?" James asked.

"Terrible." Sirius shrugged. "Didn't pass History and Divination, my whole career is now ruined."

"Bollocks." James laughed at the joke. "Well I guess that means we're both failures on that respective field. How the hell am I going to be playing for Puddlemere United now?! What with having a **P** on History of Magic!" he shook his head and slammed a fist down the table.

"Good morning." Remus Lupin greeted his two best mates and sat down across from the two. "I see you're both up early." He yawned.

"Cheers Moony." Sirius grinned and shoved a plate of sausages to his friend. "Prongs and I always wake up early, what with training and all that."

"You're training already?" another boy interrupted the conversation and sat down near Remus. "Hey guys." He squeaked and poured a glass of pumpkin juice for himself.

"Of course we are Peter." James nudged Sirius. "With the Potter training program, we're going to win the cup and if having to train everyday to win the cup is what it takes to win it, then we're in it."

"Oh right." Sirius rolled his eyes. "Let's not forget that using the Levicorpus on someone while they're sleeping works too."

Remus and Peter laughed.

"Who needs an alarm clock when you got James Potter?" James said smugly.

"No one" Sirius, Remus and Peter deadpanned.

* * *

"What's our first class?" Marlene asked with her mouth full as she munched on her bowl of cereal.

"Defense against the Dark Arts" Mary said, reading the tiny slip of paper Professor McGonagall was handing out to the students in the Gryffindor table.

"What's the name of that Professor again?" Lily asked, helping herself to some pancakes and pumpkin juice.

"Professor Elias Hawkstern." Marlene answered in a heartbeat. Mary giggled and Lily grinned.

"Funny how you remembered his name Marls." Mary teased and nudged her gorgeous friend.

"Oh shut it, it's an easy name to remember!" Marlene said rather defensively.

"Well I think-" Lily was about to interrupt and give her two cents on the subject but paused when she noticed Mary and Marlene's smile dropped from their faces.

"Hello Lily." A familiar voice called out and Lily turned around in her seat.

"Oh hello Severus." she replied in a neutral tone.

"May I have a word?" he asked.

"Uhm…" Lily paused and turned to see her friends Mary and Marlene who were both giving her the look that plainly said she shouldn't waste her time.

"Please?" Severus asked.

"Alright" she said and stood up from her seat. She grabbed her things and told Mary and Marlene to go ahead to class.

She frowned as she followed Severus outside the Great Hall. Years ago, she wouldn't have minded Severus and her talking, after all, they were best friends once and they used to go to class together for Merlin's sake! But times change, people change, and Lily wondered if she changed or maybe Severus changed.

Severus stopped in his tracks and Lily followed suit. They were in a deserted hallway at this point.

"Lily, I wanted to say…" he started.

"That you're sorry." Lily crossed her arms over her chest. "And what for, Severus?" she asked, willing herself not to say "Sev" like she always did. She looked away from his pleading eyes and willed herself to stay strong.

"I am sorry Lily." He urged. "I'm sorry…that train…when Avery…and then Mulciber…they…"

"Don't say they made you do it." Lily frowned, narrowing her green eyes at him. "You had a choice to say no while you were at it"

"Lily, you're not being fair."

"How is about to get hexed by your once best friend fair in all of this?!" she demanded, willing herself not to cry. Sev made his choice, and he went with it. They weren't friends anymore. Nothing he could say could change the fact that the people he hung around with hated her, and people like her. Severus himself would get involved in those types of "fun", as far as Lily was concerned, she was not being "unfair."

"You don't understand…I wasn't going to hex you." Severus said.

"Of course not, not after Potter slammed your hand in!" Lily fumed, refusing to believe that Severus wouldn't do something like that.

"Potter?!" Severus narrowed his eyes. "What does Potter have to do with anything?"

"Ask him!" Lily wheeled around and stomped away from her former friend. She knew she was being harsh and she knew Severus was trying his best to make amends, but a part of her told her that it was done for. Their friendship was over.

Times change and people change.

Severus made his choice.

It was time she made hers.

"Lily! Lily wait!"

Not noticing where she was going, she bumped unto someone and dropped her things.

"Sorry." She said hastily and crouched down to pick up her things.

"Merlin Evans, are you overthinking again?!" James Potter chuckled as he bent down and tried to lend a helping hand.

"Maybe you should watch where you're going Potter!" Snape sneered. Lily froze in her spot for a moment, not realizing that Severus was following her.

James raised an eyebrow and straightened up. Lily noticed that he was not alone. Sirius, Remus and Peter were with him and it looks like there was going to be another nasty confrontation between the two.

"No one asked you, Snape." James shot back.

"I was just talking to Lily, before you so rudely interrupted." Severus whispered coldly, already pulling out his wand and pointing band of Marauders.

James and Sirius pulled out their own wands as well. Remus frowned as he watched the scene unfold before him, Peter; on the other hand, was watching the fight intensely, as if about to prepare himself for a match of the century.

"Now hold on just one second!" Lily glowered over to them.

"Stay out of this Evans." James ordered.

Lily was about to open her mouth and protest but James immediately stepped in front of her and blocked the hex Snape was aiming at him.

"At ease, Snivellus." He laughed. "Guess your aim's as bad as your crooked nose. No worries, you were born to be shitty."

Sirius and Peter laughed loudly. Remus, like Lily was did not laugh.

"Stop that right now, Potter." She hissed.

"I think you owe me another apology Evans." James said, not taking his eyes off Snape.

"Lower your wands." A deep voice interrupted and every one of them turned around to find that the newest Defense against the Dark Arts teacher was the one who spoke.


	3. Three

Chapter Three:

**Disclaimer: Don't own. Please don't sue.**

* * *

"Lower your wands." Professor Hawkstern calmly interrupted the scuffle between the fighting students. "It would be much preferable that I don't hand out detentions to anyone today." His blue eyes twinkled with amusement. Lily could see that this was a man who was not only fair, but possesses a nature of good humor with an easy going personality.

"See you in class then gentlemen." The strange professor chuckled and made a bow, excusing himself as he walked inside his classroom.

Potter, Black and Snape who all lowered their wands at the teacher's request, immediately eyed each other with mutual loathing. Lily, already assuming his prefect authority decided to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Let's go to class then." She said, trying not to make it sound like an order. She wasn't sure why but there was something about the new teacher that came across as more than just an average teacher.

"Right." Remus agreed quietly. He decided to walk ahead, knowing that he would much rather be somewhere else than be in the middle of another fight between James, Sirius and Snape.

"Coming Peter?" Remus asked.

Peter, hungrily waiting for either one of the three boys to make their move, jumped ever so slightly with a soft squeak.

"Coming!" he said reluctantly and shuffled off.

Lily frowned. A part of her wanted to ask the three to go with them to class, and while she loathed getting detention, she knew she would regret it if she wasn't there to make sure either of them weren't fighting.

Sirius, knowing that he was probably already late in meeting his girlfriend in class decided to pocket his wand first.

"Well this was anti-climactic." he drawled with casual boredom. "I suggest we do this another time, come along Prongs, oh and Snape? Make sure you grease up the frying pans in the kitchen, alright?" he grinned cheekily and gestured James to follow him, but James wouldn't move.

"No. You go ahead." He assured Sirius, remembering the last time he turned his back on Snape. Having to bleed profusely from the sides of his face was not something he particularly wants to experience again. Sirius nodded and walked off to class, already knowing he was late but took his time anyway.

While Snape, having no desire to stay with either of them turn around and left as well but not before he threw another particularly nasty look at James, ignoring the joke Black threw at him. He made no eye contact at Lily as he brushed past her, and Lily, knowing that she wasn't going to go over and defend him again avoided his gaze as well.

"Still not going to class?" James asked, wondering why Lily was still standing there.

Lily frowned. "I wanted to make sure you kept your word to our new professor and not start a fuss."

"Excuse me?!" James exclaimed. "In case you haven't noticed Evans, Snape started the whole bit!"

Lily narrowed her eyes, why Potter was making everything difficult was beyond human comprehension. "Does it matter who started it?! I don't want another fight! Not after Doris Purkiss attacked Mary MacDonald in the Great Hall during the Sorting Hat ceremony! You think that every time you and Sev-" she paused, realizing she would not refer to him with that nickname anymore. "him would clash horns would each result in measly detention?!" she didn't realize her voice was raised. "Because frankly Potter, you're on the verge of expulsion!" she said rather bluntly and brush past him, avoiding his gaze as she headed off to class.

James, however, was not one to take this lying down so easily. He turned around and gripped Lily by the wrist, forcing her to face him.

"What?!" Lily glared at him.

James said nothing at first. Lily, having never been so close to James before noticed the shade of his hazel eyes through his spectacles. Why she was admiring them, she'll never know.

"I'm waiting for my apologies and thank you's." James said finally, Lily snapped out of her gaze and scowled.

"Never in a million years." She scoffed and pulled back her wrist.

It was a good thing her boyfriend was around to walk her to class.

* * *

[Lily's POV]

"Why must you be so monotonously grim, Em?" Lily chuckled at her friend's utterly dejected expression, as she joined her at the front row of desks in the Defence classroom.

"Because I feel grim! You come in practically radiating happiness after your picture-perfect boyfriend drops you off for class, while I'm completely alone and unlovable!" Lily could feel her cheeks colouring uncomfortably while Em prattled on her in melodramatic, doom-and-gloom manner, "See! You just can't keep the huge, dopey, I'm-so-in-love-with-him grin off your face! I'm such a lousy friend to admit this Lil, but I am shamelessly jealous."

"I'm not in love with him, Em." Lily chastised, still beaming and blushing to the contrary.

"Well he's in love with you then. I've always had antennae for the currents of attraction."

Lily scoffed at her friend's ridiculousness while Em rested her head heavily on her hands, wincing at the newest arrivals - the boisterously loud Marauders, surrounded by a gaggle of adoring fans, who resumed their usual seats right at the back of the Defence classroom.

"How is it fair that he gets more perfect every year?!"

Lily raised her eyebrows, completely zoned out for the second, more preoccupied with sorting her quills into ascending sizes than trying to keep up with her best friend's erraticness, "Hmm?"

"James. He look's like all the Greek God's rolled into one this year. It's just not fair! Do you think he did something different with his hair?"

Lily tried to restrain herself from rolling her eyes. It was a good thing she didn't see what Em, or a lot of other girls for that matter, saw - life was confusing and dangerous enough.

"I'd sell myself to the devil for a good-looking replacement for James. That's our job for this year Lily, we simply have to find me someone new! So I can stop torturing myself by still being infatuated by my ex-boyfriend. I'm no fun when I'm miserable."

Lily out-right laughed at that proposal. Sell herself to the devil? Where did Em come up with these things?

"You're ridiculous, Vance. But I suppose I'll go along with this ludicrous scheme if it means you'll once and for all move on from Potter."

Just at that moment, the two M's appeared - Mary and Marlene, both brunette and beautiful, each of whom slotted into the two open seats to Em's left.

"What's new, sluts?" Marlene greeted cheerfully crass.

Lily promptly replied, "Nothing really, Em's just dabbling in the occult."

Em exhaled heavily and whinged, "James!", as an explanation.

Immediately, the two of them clued in, uttering in unison in identical hushed, sympathetic tones, "Oh. James."

Instantly, all three of them began to speed-talk, pulling their heads together to whisper animatedly,

"So, have you talked to him yet?"

"Have you seen him with other girls?"

"Oh no he wouldn't do that… not so soon after…"

"Well I heard from Clancy Goshawk that he's think of going to Hogsmeade with-"

Lily pulled herself out the conversation, faintly nauseated that she'd actually spent a solid amount of time discussing James Potter's possible love-life. Now that Em had Mary and Marlene to gossip with, she didn't have to be a dutiful best friend and humour her any longer. What Em ever saw in that insufferable toerag, she'd never be able to comprehend!

She watched him with narrowed eyes, goofing off with his friends in the back of the classroom. He was juggling three full ink-wells, arrogantly showing off to his crowd of cheering on-lookers. The nerve of him! To act so blasé and idiotic, while the ever-sunny Em wallowed in misery! Lily scowled, remembering how completely abrasive and rude he'd been to her on the train yesterday. Not to mention his horrible personality, generally and now, more personally, the down-right cruel way he'd treated her best friend! She had half-a-mind to tamper magically with his juggling act, making sure all the ink spilled down his face and robes, humiliating him in front of all his spectators…

The door snapped shut and Lily was pulled from her vitriolic thoughts, her eyes pulled back to the front of the classroom. Silence fell across the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws, as they watched their newest Professor walk slowly towards the chalk-board. Em nudged Lily, whispering loud enough so the two other Gryffindor girls could hear,

"Merlin, he's gorgeous up close."

The whisper was in fact loud enough to travel around the entire classroom, causing muffled laughter left, right and centre. Lily was biting so hard down on her lip to stop the impending avalache of giggles, she was sure she'd probably drawn blood by now. Em never did have any sort of gauge at how loud her voice was.

"Why thank you, Miss… um?" Hawkstern's delightfully musical, Scottish accent only added more to his appeal.

"Vance." Em prompted, completely unabashed as usual.

"Vance." Hawkstern echoed, clearly amused. His light blue eyes were twinkling as turned to the chalkboard and waved his wand, where the words:

Professor Elias Hawkstern; Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and former Hufflepuff, appeared.

"I'll try to remember all your names, if you try and remember mine. Deal?" The classroom made a murmur of agreement, already enamoured by his easy-going nature.

Hawkstern continued, "For our first lesson together, I was thinking we'd best start with a practical! So wands out, quills away!"

While the majority of the class cheered happily and the room was filled with the noise of scraping chairs and moving desks, Lily frowned down at her perfectly arranged quill pile… sadly stowing them away, delicately in her satchel. From her immediate right, she heard an all to familiar laugh - the one that made her skin crawl, and she looked up to see Potter surrounded by his Marauder friends, watching her intently.

"You order your quills by sizes?"

Lily didn't know whether Potter was being sardonic, derisive or otherwise… all she knew was that he was certainly asking for a well-placed stinging hex. She couldn't attack now though… not with the Professor at such close quaters. She'd have to wait until the room was filled with a melee of action, to target Potter.

So instead, she didn't rise to the bait. She surprised all of the Marauder's by not verbally chewing Potter out as she usually did… instead, she fixed him with the iciest of glares, swung her satchel over her shoulder and stalked off towards Emmeline, Mary and Marlene, who'd all convened on the other side of the room. As soon as she approached the small huddle, she wrapped a concerned arm around Em's shoulders, then glared back over at the Marauders, all of whom were still watching her, and stuck her nose in the air, hoping her message had been well received.

Potter's sour expression made her victoriously smug grin widen.


End file.
